For updates and information join the CampusCEO Vancouver Facebook group! YWiB is proud to announce that the second session of the CampusCEO Coaching Program, facilitated by GhostCEO founder Chris Flett, will be re-launched in January 2011. Registration will be in Dec and the location is TBD. CampusCEO is open to all Basic YWiB Members.
Instead, YWiB will be having an exciting new unique program for the fall. Details to come! Stay tuned!
For Immediate Release: EXPLORING GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE WORKPLACE
VANCOUVER – (May 27, 2010) On May 14, 2010, Vancouver’s professionals gathered at UBC Robson Square to participate in a conversation about gender differences in the workplace. The Young Women in Business network (YWiB) gathered seven of Vancouver’s top male and female CEO’s to provide their insights and share their experiences.
The esteemed panel included retired CEO of BC Hydro Bob Elton, Founder and CEO of GhostCEO Chris Flett, Founder and CEO of Nurse Next Door Ken Sim, CEO of VanCity Tamara Vrooman, President of Weyerhaeuser Anne Giardini, and Co-Founder and CEO of Webnames.ca Cybele Negris.
Moderated by Founder and CEO of Blo Blow Dry Bar, Judy Brooks, the panel was put on the spot when asked to give their opinions on some tough topics. When asked if they felt women were at a disadvantage in the workplace, Flett explained, “Being a woman is never an excuse in business – the business world is not fair, but everyone has the same opportunity to decide what actions they will take.” The women in the audience were encouraged to be assertive in the workplace and take charge of their careers. Elton brought to light an interesting statistic, “A man will apply for a job if he has five of the ten required qualifications, a woman may not even apply if she has nine.”
Both men and women in the audience were enlightened by Sim when he explained that he quit his lucrative job in investment banking because he wanted to start a family – and have the time to spend with them. Vrooman supported his point with the observation; “We don’t give men enough opportunities to participate at home, which would give women the opportunity to participate more at work.” The challenges women face in building a home and supporting a family are experienced by men – they just aren’t talked about as much.
Sim further encouraged young professionals to do what they love and what they are passionate about. To define a commonly used term, Negris explained that what is important is being passionate about what you do on a day to day basis, not necessarily the product you are selling. Brooks further explained ‘doing what you’re passionate about’ using an analogy. “If you’re passionate about drinking tea, it doesn’t mean you should open a tea shop. You may not like running a tea shop, or serving tea.” The Panelists agreed that passion and dedication go hand-in-hand and emphasized the value of networking and mentorships that organizations such as YWiB provide. Vrooman used an analogy- “going through life without a mentor or network is like setting out on a trip and having to not only go through the journey alone, but also build the road in front of you without a map and without knowing the terrain.”
The panel finished with a call for more young men to participate in the discussion. While there were a few young men in the audience, YWiB will be working to further encourage the attendance of young men at future events. Elton says, “When you get a group of men and women together, you get a much richer conversation.”
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YWiB President Paulina Lipska, and Marketing Director Marica Rizzo are available for comment and questions.
Paulina Lipska Marica Rizzo Email: paulina@ywib.ca Email: marica@ywib.ca
About YWiB:
The Young Women in Business Network is a non-profit society for emerging female leaders in Western Canada. The network acts as the central forum to connect ambitious young women from a variety of careers, industries, and backgrounds. YWiB hosts a variety of events that provide members with opportunities to develop relevant skills and knowledge, so that they have the insight, support, and capability to reach their fullest personal and professional potential.
Speakers:
Bob Elton – Retired CEO of BC Hydro
Chris Flett – Founder and CEO of Ghost CEO
Ken Sim – Founder and CEO of Nurse Next Door
Anne Giardini - President of Weyerhaeuser
Tamara Vrooman – CEO of VanCity
Cybele Negris - Co-Founder and CEO of Webnames.ca
Judy Brooks - Founder and CEO of Blo Blow Dry Bar
Wow, I feel so incredibly blessed to have been able to participate in Campus CEO. Chris Flett truly is a business genius and the fact that he has been willing to personally train us has been an incredible experience. Chris is a gutsy, bold, intelligent and riveting speaker who keeps you at the edge during endless 'aha' moments. I like to refer to him as the Simon Cowell of business - the guy who everyone respects because he says what no one is willing to say. For this reason, the class has been hugely motivating, scary, life changing, and pattern breaking. The class has challenged my 'nice girl' mentality by showing how we ladies need to be assertive in business-- and how it is actually appreciated in the business community. I cannot say enough about the Campus CEO program and I would recommend that any young woman attend. It is an absolute steal to attend this course for only the cost of a YWiB membership and will change the way one views being in business forever. Thanks for everything Tara and Chris!
Bringing together some of the greatest minds in Vancouver to discuss women in business, this afternoon promises to be thought provoking. Read the main article for more details, or check this out:
The first installment of the CampusCEO program wrapped up on May 4th, with Dragon's Den style presentations taking place next week. The girls presented some excellent and innovative business ideas. As the first program wraps up (and not to worry, there will be another) we've asked the girls to share some of their thoughts on the program, the classes, and Chris Flett himself:
No classroom theories here. Chris has valuable knowledge stemming from real experience in business. CampusCEO is a chance to learn something useful and work with some great ladies. I would recommend this group to students of all faculties. Cheers, Kristen
Campus CEO has definitely sparked my interest and demonstrated the value of entrepreneurship. As a teacher, Chris Flett is extremely engaging and delivers straight to the point lessons, equipping you with all the necessary steps and thought processes required in order to run a successful business. Through a number of group activities and competitions I also had the privilege of working with and getting to know an inspiring and energetic group of girls! Thanks for all your hard work and such a great experience with Campus CEO! Katie Hensrud
Forget Entrepreneurship 101 - this course will take you from where you are now to where you want to be. Participation in Campus CEO will push you ahead of your current game, whether you're a business rookie or a start-up specialist. For me, being only start-up curious, Campus CEO served as the perfect introduction to how entrepreneurs succeed in Vancouver and beyond. With the aid of resources from Chris Flett and Ghost CEO, there was a wealth of knowledge readily available and I found answers to all the questions I posed. I certainly gained significant value from participation and would definitely go back for another round. Marina Walker
Beyond blunt is what defines a lecture on entrepreneurship from Chris Flett. Over the past five months Chris encouraged us ladies to see beyond the fancy frills and bureaucratic nonsense of business and instead asked us to explore the possibilities of pursuing business opportunities GHOSTCEO style. Enlightened with simplified steps to develop profitable models and turn them into real business ventures, CAMPUSCEO is a fantastic crash course for young women in business to get more than one step ahead of their competition. Brittany Kuthmann
CampusCEO has been truly inspirational! Chris Flett has taught me so much in such a short little time, so thank-you. Also to all the wonderful and talented ladies that I have met through this experience it has been a pleasure! Cheers, Anja Gross
In celebration of the year end for YWiB UBC, YWiB SFU and the first CampusCEO program, YWiB will be hosting a party at the Giovane Cafe at the Fairmont Pacific Rim on May 14 from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Admission is complimentary for members and $10 for non-members.
Recognized nationally as one of Canada's most prestigious awards for women, the YWCA Vancouver Women of Distinction Awards honour women whose outstanding achievements contribute to the well-being and future of our community. The Awards also honor businesses or organizations that support the wellness and diverse needs of their employees through a separate "Innovative Workplace" category.
For more information visit: www.ywcavan.org/distinction.
YWCA Vancouver is seeking Ladies in Pink volunteers for the 2010 Women of Distinction Awards. Roles include:
-Raffle ticket sellers -Registration -Silent auction monitors -Set-up and clean-up
The event will be held Tuesday June 1,2010 at the Westin Bayshore 4:30 pm - 10:30 pm (times may vary depending on role).
Email wodvolunteer@ywcavan.org. A Volunteer Coordinator will follow up to confirm your role and time of arrival.
Young Women in Business is a community for emerging female leaders and young professionals who want to create their own success.
We believe every woman and young professional stepping into the workforce or growing in their career should be well equipped with the proper set of tools and knowledge to reach their fullest personal and professional potential.
We provide young women and professionals with events, programs and an engaged network of ambitious women, to help them become successful in their careers, take on new challenges and develop skills.
